The Birth of DeathStar
by CuteCat213
Summary: She was always there for him, at his back; it was her that made his smiles and exuberance genuine. How can he smile now? How can he act excited, happy, ALIVE? How can he possibly go on without her there anymore? Slowly, eventually, with the help of his Obsessive Compulsive childhood friend; or so Kid hopes. KidStar, Shonen-ai, character death, and maybe mpreg.
1. Chapter 1

111

**Out in the rain.**

"I know you can do it, Tsubaki!"

**In the sword.**

Masamune laughed, "Do you hear him, sister? His faith in you is heart-warming, but severely misplaced."

The weakened Weapon panted on her knees, "B-Black...Star... I'm s-so... sorry..." her breath huffed out and she went limp in Masamune's grip.

He smirked and pulled her closer, "Good bye, little flower."

**Back out in the rain.**

_ "B-Black...Star... I'm s-so... sorry..." _

"Tsubaki! NO! Hold on! TSUBAKI!" He dropped to his knees by his partner's kneeling body and took her by the shoulders, shaking her, "Tsubaki, answer me! TSUBAKI!"

BlackStar stopped when he felt trembling that wasn't coming from his actions. No, not trembling... laughing. Tsubaki's form shook with silent laughter, then she threw her head back and let it out, "Hahahahaha!"

"Tsubaki?"

Her head snapped down and turned to him, the eyes opening to reveal cursed orbs, "Sorry, Tsubaki's not here. She won't be ever again."

BlackStar froze, "N-no. You're lying." his grip on her arms tightened, "Give her back! Give Tsubaki back to me!" he shook the body-snatcher mercilessly.

Tsu- no, _Masamune_ laughed again, leaning forward with a sly, almost-seductive look, the gender-swapped Kishin's lips grazing BlackStar's ear, "_Never_."

BlackStar's hands fell limp at his sides, his gaze straight ahead as the words resounded in his head, mercilessly, again and again. _Gone. Gone. Gone._ "Ts-Tsubaki..." He remembered when he'd first met her.

_"Um... hello?"_

_"Hi! Who are you?!"_

_"I-I'm Tsubaki. Nakatsukasa Tsubaki. I'm... from Japan..."_

_"Well I'm BlackStar, and I'm going to transcend god!"_

_"Oh. Well... that's... very nice. You don't have a partner... right?"_

_"Nah, none of these wimps is good enough for a star like me!"_

_"Oh... I heard- I see..."_

_He knew she'd heard that none of the other Weapons could put up with him. He was enthusiastic, not deaf. Only Kid had ever been able to put up with him, at this rate he'd be Weaponless forever. He felt that internal barrier rising again, "Look, I have to find a partner among these weaklings, so if you'll excuse me..."_

_"Um, okay then... You... don't want to be my partner, either?"_

_"Wait, you came to be my partner?"_

_"Well... yes..."_

_BlackStar's heart soared, but he kept a blank face, "Well, what can you turn into?"_

_"Um... A tanto, a shuriken, a smoke bomb-"_

_"Wait, you have multiple forms?"_

_"...Yes...?"_

_"Alright- what was your name again?"_

_"Tsubaki..."_

_"Alright, Tsubaki, I've decided you're good enough to be my Weapon partner, so feel honored!"_

_Her face lit up and she bowed, "Oh, thank you! I do, and I'll do my best not to let you down; I promise!"_

BlackStar looked up as Tsubaki's body moved closer. He saw the village elder in her clutches, not able to so much as twitch before blood splattered his face along with the rain. The old man's body collapsed to the ground, his blue-white soul coalescing in the air. Masamune smiled with Tsubaki's lips, flicking his wrist, the voice coming out full of a malice Tsubaki had never known, "Look at that, I don't even need a wielder anymore." She caught him staring in horror and set her face in a worried frown, Tsubaki's voice coming from the usurped throat, "What's wrong, BlackStar? Don't you love me anymore? Am I no longer the sister you've never had?" Masamune/Tsubaki went to her hands and knees in the mud and crept closer, "I know I still love _you_, BlackStar." then she sat back, snagging the soul from where it floated in the air and bringing it to her mouth.

BlackStar reached out to stop her, "Tsubaki, no!"

She flipped backwards, soul still firmly in hand, "Ah, ah, ah." she chided, "No grabbing. If you want one, you'll just have to get your own."

He watched in paralyzed horror as the glowing orb disappeared behind soft lips and down Tsubaki's throat, "No..."

She looked at him from the corner of her eyes as she licked her fingers, "Mmm, it's so good... I think I'll have another!" She reached out and grabbed the poor boy who'd wielded Masamune earlier.

BlackStar rushed to his feet, "NO! Stop it!"

She paused with the Enchanted sword's blade at the boy's back, "Oh? And who's going to make me? You, BlackStar? Do you really think you have what it takes to kill your partner to save the lives of these pathetic fools that hate you? If you don't, then you don't care about the poor normal people as much as the chance of saving your beloved Weapon; if you do, then you're a heartless bastard who'd kill even his own partner..." BlackStar stared at the ground, his hands curled into fists in frustration. Masamune smirked, "Then these deaths are on you." and suddenly six inches of black steel was protruding from the youth's chest, a pained, shocked expression on his face.

"NOOO!" BlackStar's eyes closed as fingers tightened enough to draw blood, the terrified screams of the villagers ringing in his ears, and tears coursed down his cheeks to mingle with the rain. He dug his nails in harder, using the physical pain to focus him away from the mental agony. _Tsubaki, I'm sorry._

Masamune swung at another villager, surprised when her blade met resistance, "Hmm?" she spotted BlackStar at the other end of it, blocking the sword with one of his arm guards, the girl she was aiming for cowering behind him.

The Meister's eyes were hidden by the angle he held his head at, "I _said_: stop it."

Masamune frowned, "Or what?"

BlackStar looked up at her, "I'll kill you."

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	2. Chapter 2

222

BlackStar pushed back against the blade and Masamune went flying backwards, flipping around to slide through the mud on her knees, her eyes wide, "Wh-what?"

The assassin's voice was emotionless, "You've never fought any of your own battles, have you, Masamune? You possess your Meisters and tell them how to wield you, but you've never held a blade yourself."

Her face tightened, "I'll show you how well I handle a blade: when I'm peeling your skin from your body!"

"Try it."

_"BlackStar... *sigh* What's more important: making a big entrance, or completing our assignment?"_

_"Being a big star, of course!"_

_Tsubaki... I'm sorry I didn't listen to you better. I'll fix it now._

Masamune's swing was once again blocked by BlackStar's wristguard, "Die, damn you!"

The blue haired teen pushed off and hit the usurper with an open hand to the stomach, sending her crashing through a small hut. She climbed out of the rubble and looked around, not seeing him at all. _Where...?_ The small part of her soul that had been her sister smirked deep within. _Assassin's rule number one: Blend into the shadows... hold your breath... and wait for your opponent to let his guard down._

Masamune turned around, scanning as far as she could in the wet, rainy, foggy weather. Spotting the iconic silhouette in the fog near the fountain, she smiled and crept up on it, careful to be stealthy. When less than two feet away, she struck, "Ha!" her joyous expression turned into a frown when she couldn't remove her sword, and a breeze revealed that what she'd hit was an upright sheaf of hay.

Hearing splashing behind, she ripped her sword free and spun, searching through the fog but not seeing anything. Masamune rifled through Tsubaki's memories. _Rule two: Tune into your target; know his thoughts and actions._ She smiled. _He'll come out quick enough if I kill another villager or two._

With her sister's fit body, she was in front of the cowering weaklings almost as soon as she finished the thought; rising from a crouch with a smile and the blade held out at her side. She grabbed the first person that was closest by their collar and pulled them towards her, smirking down at the shivering form, "You'll do nicely."

"So will you."

Masamune dropped the villager and started to turn towards the voice, never finishing the move before a super-powered fist rammed into her stomach, a wave of electric agony racing through her entire system stemming from the point of contact. The sword fell from her numb fingers and she grabbed the muscled arm as she fell to her knees, looking up at a villager with... blue hair peaking from under their hat? "B-BlackStar?" she whispered, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

"Assassin's Rule number three: Strike your target down before he is aware of your existence."

"I... I see... I guess I lost... afterall."

BlackStar stared down in disbelief, his fist trembling, his whole soul shivering in denial and agonized loneliness, at the collapsed form of his partner. His legs gave out on him and he found himself on the ground next to her, gathering the still form into his arms. Blood spatter on the lax face beaded and ran from the tears that fell from the blue-haired teen. He held her close and rocked back and forth, "Tsubaki, I'm so sorry."

He held her tighter, as though he could hold her to the earthly plane if he just tightened his grip enough. One of the villagers touched his shoulder and said something he didn't even try to hear, blocking out everything except his partner.

He felt her body starting to dissolve in his arms as was the nature of Weapons, "No. Tsubaki, no! Please, stay with me! Don't go!" her very being unraveled in his hands, an angry red Kishin soul all that remained, floating in front of him. He put out his cupped, shaking hands and cradled the tainted spirit, holding it close to his chest, "Tsubaki..."

_"B-BlackStar..."_

His head snapped up and he looked around, "Tsubaki?!"

He felt a pulse of warmth from his hands. _"BlackStar."_

_Tsubaki? Is that you?_

Her voice was warm with pleasure. _"Yes, it's me. Thank you, BlackStar. I'm so sorry. I wasn't strong enough..."_

_NO! You were- it was my fault, this whole stupid mission was all my fault._

_"No! I should have been strong enough to deal with my brother. It was my responsibility and not only did I fail and make you deal with my mess, you had to fight my body, too. I -ngh!"_

_Tsubaki?! What's wrong?!_

_"Masamune's fighting me again. I can't hold out much longer. BlackStar, please, do one last thing for me?"_

_Anything._

_"Devour me."_

_Wh-what?! Tsubaki, no! I can't (be like them)- can't (take that risk)- can't __**eat you!**__ Are you __**insane?! **__How could you even say that?!_

_"BlackStar, please! I know you're afraid, I am, too! But please! I've failed at everything. I failed my brother, my family, my Meister, myself, and the school. Please! This is the last thing I have to give, my last chance to redeem myself, my last chance to make it up to you... So, please, BlackStar, devour us. Ngh! Hurry, Masamune's winning!"_

His entire body shook. (_Please no. I don't want to. Don't force me to...!)_ He slumped. _I will._

_"Thank you, BlackStar. This is the last thing I can give. And BlackStar... I love you."_

_Tsubaki... I love you, too._ To the terrified looks of the villagers, BlackStar brought the soul to his mouth, the flickering orb tasting like blood and ash on his tongue, and swallowed the Kishin soul of his Weapon partner and her sibling. The warmth spread through his whole body, a pulsing coming from the general area of his stomach... then he collapsed as the heat quickly turned scorching. The pain combined with the exhaustive effects of the hellish day, and BlackStar faded into the darkness, his body lying prone in the cold mud as the sky continued crying.

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	3. Chapter 3

333

Kid burst into his father's office with his Weapons right behind him, "Father! What happened?!"

Shinigami turned away from his mirror, "Oh, Kiddo, there you are. I'm afraid it's not very good."

"What happened? I heard BlackStar and Tsubaki were sent on a mission and now everyone's talking about Star turning into a Kishin! What kind of slander are you allowing in the school? What in the hell is going on?!"

"Kid!" Liz and Patty grabbed onto both his arms to keep him from launching himself at his father. The Thompsons had always known Kid and BlackStar were close. Star had been taken in by Shinigami-sama and the school before they had, and been with Kid since they were both toddlers. The boys were so close that Kid didn't even freak out about BlackStar's asymmetrical hairdo. And that was saying _alot_.

Spirit stepped in front of the fuming adolescent death god and put his hands on Kid's shoulders, "Kid... this isn't easy to say, but... Tsubaki didn't make it."

Liz and Patty both gasped, letting their Meister go to cling to one another, "No!"

Kid shook his head, "That-that-that can't be... What-" he cleared his throat, "How's Star doing? What happened? Where's the Kishin that got her; did you kill it?"

The redhead looked away, "He's... " Spirit shook his head.

"He's catatonic, Kiddo."

"And what's with all these assanine Kishin rumors? A Meister just lost his partner!"

If anything, the adults looked even more uneasy, "Kid, BlackStar took down the Kishin that got Tsubaki."

"That's good, it should help him hea-"

"And then he ate it's soul."

Kid's golden eyes widened, "Wh-what?!"

"BlackStar and Tsubaki were sent on a special mission. The Kishin in question was her brother, the Enchanted Sword Masamune. From what we've been able to gather, she and Masamune fought one-on-one, and Tsubaki lost and was devoured. Then BlackStar took him out on his own, and devoured the soul. He collapsed and was taken to the infirmary, where he's been unconscious until this morning. But now he won't talk to anyone, not even Shinigami-sama, or respond to anything. All of the school's heard the story and most of the students, and some of the teachers, are convinced BlackStar's going to turn into a Kishin egg like the rest of the Star clan. The students are calling for expulsion, the faculty for execution..."

Kid stumbled backwards, and would have fallen if not for his partners, "No..." he turned to Shinigami, "Father, you can't seriously be considering this! We've known Star all his life! You _know _there's got to be more to this than meets the eye, BlackStar wouldn't _do _something like this, not without a reason!"

"Kiddo..."

He shook his head, "No! Whatever excuse you're about to give me: No! Not BlackStar! Father, you _can't_! I won't let you!"

The Thompsons took off after their Meister as he ran from the Death Room. Shinigama sighed, "There's more to the situation than you realize, Kiddo..."

Kid swept through the school like an ill wind, students seeing the young death god wisely stood aside at the thunderous expression on his face and that of his Weapons. He slammed open the infirmary entrance, the nurse-on-call startling so badly she dropped her clipboard. Kid ignored her, not even commenting on how she had a hairclip on one side and not the other. He stood before her and crossed his arms, glaring, "Tell me about BlackStar. Now."

The small brunette picked up her clipboard and hugged it to her chest, shaking, "H-he just... H-here, see for yourself."

Kid had been expecting alot of things: a blank-faced BlackStar, an infuriated blue-haired teen glaring daggers at the wall or anyone foolish enough to approach him; he'd seen any number of reactions over the years they'd lived together. But the pink curtain pulling back to reveal a black katana laying on the pristine white berth wasn't one of the things he'd been expecting, not in the least; it hadn't even been on the list of possibilities.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Before we start, (for those of you few keeping up with my other Soul Eater fic) Unlike BRS, I have no idea where the storyline for this one is going; so ideas are welcome -nay, BEGGED for- if, that is, you want this fic to continue, because I'm swiftly running out of steam. I've got all pairing, little plot -_-" That said, please enjoy the chapter; savor it, as it may be endagered...**

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Kid looked back at the nurse in confusion, "What...?"

"He's been like this since he woke up. He was being questioned, got an odd look on his face, then this. We've had every member of the faculty capable of it try to wield him and resonate souls, even Stein. Every single one of them has come away from it with burns on their hands without having been able to get so much as a squeak from him. Even Shinigami-sama. If this continues, he'll get stuck and be declared Weaponized, doomed to be locked in some armory somewhere."

Liz looked nauseous, "Can that really happen?"

"If he forgets what his human form feels like; then yes, it's a very real possibility."

Kid's hands fisted, "So his choices are being stuck as a weapon forever or turning back into a human and being executed?! To hell with all of you! Get out! Get out of the room!" he shoved the nurse towards the door, where she stumbled out in fear. He looked at his Weapons, "Guard the door."

"What are you going to do, Kid?" Patty asked in child-like innocence.

"I'm getting my friend back." He sat on the end of the berth, calming his breathing, then reached out and held the sword.

A shock like static went through him, and his palms started heating. He ignored the discomfort and reached out with his soul. _Come on, I know you're in there, Star. Answer me._ The heat became painful, but Kid continued to hold on, thinking about everything he could about the charmingly annoying blue-haired Meister.

When he'd been a child, Kid hadn't had any friends, they were all afraid of him. BlackStar wasn't, he'd come right up and dragged him into a game, symmetry and fear be damned. BlackStar had always been exasperated-tolerable when it came to Kid's OCD, pushing him right to the edge without ever pushing him over. BlackStar, who for Kid's birthday had snuck into his room when they were young and _painted_ his hair so that his Sanzu lines were perfectly symmetrical for an entire blissful day. Who couldn't be bothered to clean up his horridly messy room, but made the effort to make it at least a semi-symmetrical mess.

When BlackStar was around, symmetry just didn't matter as much. Star's signature hair style by all rights should have given Kid hives, but instead he found it cute. It was thanks to BlackStar's conditioning and knocking common sense into him that Kid had been able to overcome Liz and Patty's asymmetrical human forms and accept them as his partners. It was all thanks to Star. He felt his soul reaching out farther with each affection-filled thought.

_BlackStar. BlackStar. BlackStar._

And, finally, there was an echo back. _Kid?_

He smiled. _There you are, Star. I've been looking for you. Do you have any idea how much worry you cause me?_

There was that warm, rich laughter. _Enough to give you a symmetrical set of ulcers._

_Star, talk to me. __**Please.**_

Warmth spread out from the blade in his hands over his whole body in vines until he felt cocooned in heat. When Kid opened his eyes, he was standing in pinkish water, the area covered in white mist, and in front of him on a small chunk of land, was BlackStar, crying. Heedless of the terrain, he ran through the blood-like liquid to the blue-haired teen, "Star!"

BlackStar looked up from his knees drawn to his chest, "Kid..."

He made it to the small landfloe and sat beside BlackStar, "I'm here for you, Star."

In a move that would shock anyone who was only familiar with the assassin's facade, BlackStar threw himself into the death god's arms, "She's gone, Kid! She's gone! God, it's all my fault. Tsubaki's dead and it's all my fault!"

Kid shushed him, "I know, Star. It hurts; I know. But it's not your fault and Tsubaki wouldn't want you to think it was."

"I miss her so much. There's this hole, and it won't stop h-hurting. _God_, it hurts so bad!"

"Shh, I know. Get it out, cry it out. It _will_ get better, I promise."

"And they just keep _talking_ about it, asking me about it, and they _won't shut up!_ I can't even grieve!"

Kid's arms tightened, "Take your time, Star. Fuck my father and the rest of the world, you take as much time as you need. I'm here for you and I'm not going anywhere."

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	5. Chapter 5

**Seriously peoples, this is the last bit I've got written for this fic. Unless devine inspiration strikes (either from Shinigami-sama jimself, you you my lovely readers {and hopefully reviewers}) then this will be the last foreseeable update. If you like this fic at all, PLEASE CONTRIBUTE! Any idea, doesn't matter how stupid you think it is; it may spark something brilliant. Please. Reviews praising are always welcome and help the writer soul, but not much can be done unless the muse prodded and the plot bunnies fed. Feed the plot bunnies.**

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Kid, Liz, and Patty were all weighed down by the mass of food they each carried. After two days of non-stop... Kid was just going to call it 'meditation'- he was mentally and emotionally spent and more than ready to just pass out. After he made sure BlackStar got something to eat first, that was.

He opened the door to what had become BlackStar's 'private' room, and froze, almost having a mountain of food dumped on him as his partners bumped into him from behind.

"Kid! What the hell!"

"Star?! Star!" Kid slammed the door open the rest of the way and set down his load, "He's gone!"

"Jeez, calm down. He's probably just in the bathroom or something, don't freak out."

" 'Don't freak out'? Did you just tell me not to freak out? BlackStar just lost his partner, and now he's not in his room! I think I'm entitled to freak out about this! This isn't just some asymmetrically tilted picture, Liz; it's BlackStar!"

"Alright already! Patty and I'll search around here, you go look for him. Maybe he's in his or Tsubaki's dorm."

"-turning into a monster."

"Heard he's turning out like the rest of his clan."

"-ate his partner, just like the Kishin."

"My teacher said there's a good chance Shinigami-sama will execute him."

"I liked Tsubaki, but I always knew he'd get her killed someday."

"_My_ teacher said that he turned into a weapon and they were trying to get him to turn back."

"A weapon?! But he's a Meister!"

"He's an abomination is what he is now."

"Do you have any idea the panic you've caused me looking for you?"

BlackStar looked down at the tri-striped raven standing in the empty hallway beneath the crossbeam, "...Alot?" Kid sighed and looked around, "There's a good kick-off point on the wall, there."

The death god nodded, gauged the distance, then disappeared in a blur, reappearing momentarily as he kicked off the wall, then landed beside him silently, "How long have you been up here?"

"Since about the end of the last class."

"Liz, Patty and I have spent the last hour searching the school top to bottom for you; I thought you-"

"Might try to kill myself? I know. Don't worry, I wouldn't give them the satisfaction."

Kid looked away, "You heard."

"I had to at some point. That's not a rumor that's just going to go away, Kid. They hate me. The entire school hates me."

"...I don't hate you. Liz and Patty don't hate you."

"What are Soul and Maka going to think about me killing Tsubaki?"

"You didn't kill Tsubaki, Star, she was already dead. You just killed the Kishin that killed her."

Those blue eyes turned to him, "What if there was something I could have done? What if I could have got her back? What if I'd never accepted that mission? What if-"

"What if I'd been born symmetrical and had no reason to ever deal with anything that wasn't? Then I'd never have met you, and I'd never made a friend in my life or become partners with Liz and Patty and they'd still be out on the streets, also without any friends, maybe not even alive. Don't play this game with yourself, Star, there's no way to win."

BlackStar sighed, "Yeah, whatever. So, what are you going to do now that you found me and know I'm not dead?"

"Well talking philosophy -with you of all people- certainly wasn't on the agenda. But I'll settle for getting you back to your room, some food, and maybe even the possibility of sleep sometime in the near future; all of which sound wonderful."

"Yeah, alright. I am kinda tired, but I'm really not hungry."

Kid thought about all that food he and the girls had carried to the infirmary and slumped. _So much for sleep._

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	6. Chapter 6

**_AN: As you've likely noticed, WE HAVE A CHAPTER! Praise Shinigami-sama, inspiration struck while I was agonizing (also probably thanks to my best friend making fanart!) and we even get a considerably longer chapter than usual! *Parade music* Now, uh, just dun ask about next week... -_-"_**

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BlackStar woke up to see Kid sitting in the chair next to the bed, passed out with his head on the matress. He shook his head and ran his fingers through the unmarred raven strands of Kid's unaffected side. _You idiot, you've got your own bed. I don't need to be babysat._

The death god groaned and burrowed further into the blanket he was laying on, "Here for you... Star."

He smiled even as he rolled his eyes. _Yeah, take care of the unwanted orphan and let the son of the God of Death neglect himself. I'm surrounded by morons._ He moved his hand down to a shoulder and shook, "Kid, wake up. Come on, get up. Dude, you're drooling."

Nothing.

"You're drooling... un-symmetrically."

Kid jerked and snapped upright, "Wha...?"

BlackStar couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up, snickering at the bewildered look on the raven's face. He trailed off into silence, sitting upright himself, groaning at the unfamiliar strain, "What the?"

Kid helped him, "Careful!"

"Why do I feel like I got hit by a semi?"

"You were more or less completely immobile for nearly a week, then went jumping off walls. Is it any surprise you're feeling a little sore? You haven't even eaten in three days."

"Well _you_ don't seem to be having any trouble."

"I'm a death god; that's an option for me. You... not so much. You normally inhale -what?- seven-thousand calories a _day_? No wonder your body's rebelling."

"Huh. Guess that would explain why my stomach's trying to disolve my spine, too."

Kid smiled and shook his head, "You..." he gave a short bark of laughter and stood up, "Give me a moment, I'll get someone to bring us something. How hungry are you feeling: just a big steak, or the whole cow?"

BlackStar tilted his head in thought, "Maybe not the _whole_ cow, but at least a haunch."

"You got it." he stuck his head out the door and spoke to someone, then pulled back and closed it, once again taking the chair, "It'll be abit. While we're waiting... There's something I want to talk about."

BlackStar looked him over warily. They were doing good so far, they'd had at least twenty minutes without saying anything about _it_, about _her_. He wanted to keep that pleasantly numbing self-denial going for as long as possible, and it sounded like whatever Kid was about to say was going to ruin any chance of that.

But it was _Kid_, so he sat back against the headboard and sighed, "What is it?"

Kid bit his lip, but didn't speak.

BlackStar scowled, "You're the one that wanted to talk; don't hesitate now."

"Star, my father said-"

"I don't want to talk about your father."

Kid winced. When they'd been children, Shinigami had been BlackStar's father, too. He'd always called him 'Pops', or, when chided for lack of respect, 'Lord Pops-sama'. When speaking with Kid, he'd always referred to Shinigami as 'Dad'. Unless there was an argument, those rules were absolute. That had changed, for reasons Kid wasn't privy to, not long before BlackStar enroled as a student. Kid always wondered if he'd been the reason that sent BlackStar over the tipping point, that night before BlackStar had started.

_BlackStar flopped on the bean bag and faced him, "So there's this thing I've been wondering about Dad."_

_"And what would that be?"_

_"Well, people are dying, right? That aren't supposed to die. So why doesn't he just -I dunno- not let them die?"_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"He's the God of Death, right? Has complete control over it. So why doesn't he just not let people get killed? Then we wouldn't have to worry about Kishin at all."_

_"There are two flaws in that theory. One: Father gets all his power from death, so he'd be powerless if people stopped dying. And two: people die in other ways than murder."_

_"Well, he could let the ones die from like old age or something, and let everyone else alone."_

_"And what about capital criminals? Naturally you'd want to allow their deaths."_

_BlackStar didn't pick up on the sardonic tone in Kid's voice, "Well, yeah."_

_The young god sighed, "It wouldn't work, Star. If you make one exception, it becomes easier to make the next one. Don't let people die; well, except for the old, and the accused... What about accedents? People slipping on icy roads? Drunk drivers; do we pardon their victims but let them die? What about simple inattentiveness? If there were no danger, no one would ever try to be careful, and what would happen then?"_

_"I dunno."_

_"Likely alot more cripples who wished they __**had**__ died. And what about the suicidal? Do we let __**them**__ die? Attempted suicide is a crime, afterall."_

_"Argh, stop already! I get it! I don't __**like**__ it, but I get it."_

_"Besides even all of that, Father couldn't get involved if he wanted to: his number one rule is to never interfere with someone's free will. They put themselves under his domain when they attend the academy, but he doesn't allow himself to mess with the world at large."_

_"...Doesn't he have seven Death Scythes out there doing all the interfering for him?"_

_"The Death Scythes are hunting Kishin, not playing around in human affairs."_

_"Mmm. So... would he let you die, or would he save you? You're half human, after all. But you also fall under his domain, right?"_

_"I... don't know. And I'm not sure I want to, it's not pleasant to think about."_

_"He has to. Who else is going to take over if not you?"_

_"There's hardly a time limit, he could have another child. And I thought we weren't talking about this!"_

_BlackStar, sensing a panic attack brewing, turned to stare at the wall, "Hey, look, I think that picture's uneven."_

_He whipped around, "Where?!" _

_He gave BlackStar at least the illusion of privacy and pretended he didn't hear him muttering, "He has to..."_

Kid had seen BlackStar storm from his father's room less than a month later, and he hadn't called him anything paternal since. He understood Star's tenderness on the subject at the moment if he thought, even subconciously, that Shinigami could have -and hadn't- done something about Tsubaki's death. He sighed, "I understand. But I was told that you _ate_ the Kishin's soul."

BlackStar glared, "I _don't_ want to talk about it, Kid. I don't want to talk about _that_, about _her_, or about Dad! I just wanna forget it ever happened!"

Kid's voice was quiet but implacable, "Her funeral is this weekend, Star. Father wants you to give the eulogy."

Panicked green eyes looked up at him, "I can't do that! I'm not good with words like you or Maka! Nobody would even listen to me, they all think I'm the reason she's d- _Gone_."

"Star..."

"No! You don't understand, Kid! You can't!" his hands fisted in the sheets, and he lowered his head, hiding his eyes,"You... You don't know what it's like. You have everything, Kid. You have a family, two partners, everything you could ever want waiting for the asking, respect and attention just for being _you_. But me, I don't have any of that. I'm just a pathetic little orphan who survived only because of pity, everything I ever owned I knew I was allowed only through charity; and who I am? Hah! If people don't despise me outright for my clan, they think I'm an idiot. Tsubaki... she was all I had!" small, wet dark spots dotted the sheets as BlackStar's fists shook, "What do I have now?"

Kid covered BlackStar's hands with his own, "You have me, Star. I promise you that you'll always have me, you always have. I'll never leave you. Where would I be if it weren't for you? You helped make me who I am today; you were always there for me when Father couldn't be. As much as I've always had, I never wanted more than someone who understood me, who could accept me for everything I am and all that I'm not: that was always only ever you." he smiled, "My partners; who half the time I drive to insanity, who I again never would have met if you hadn't forcably dragged me out of the house that night ot have fun, who I never even could have accepted if you hadn't beaten some of my disability out of me over the years. And you know I don't want the worshipful, distant praise of my father; I want _freinds_, family, and it's because of you that I'm willing to fight for them.

"Where is the man who said he'll surpass God? Where is the assassin that can creep up on Death himself? Where is the star that won't allow the world to ignore him and all he does?" his grip tightened, "BlackStar, you can't let your grief swallow you: I won't let it. I'm here for you, Star, I always will be."

666


	7. Chapter 7

777

Breakfast had been quiet, BlackStar not speaking, and Kid not wanting to force him to. The bell for classes rang, he ignored it, refusing to leave his best friend's bedside. He waited patiently as BlackStar stared at the wall, hand in one of his, lost deeply in thought.

"Kid?"

He was startled by the break in the silence, but hid it well enough, keeping his voice calm and even, "Yes?"

"I'm scared."

His heart clenched at hearing the simple phrase come form the shorter teen. BlackStar never admitted to being afraid, to worrying: that was what Kid did, BlackStar was the one who always set him straight. He tilted his head, thoughtfully, acknowledging the statement, "Of the rumors?"

BlackStar shook his head, a tremor going through him, "Of being alone."

For as long as he could remember, Kid had been there. Then the Thompsons had joined them. BlackStar had never had to be alone... until Shinigami had called Kid away to begin his training, and Kid had taken the sisters with him. BlackStar had been all alone then, the students around the school either afraid of him or annoyed by his personality; that fake happy mask he'd put up to hide how lonely and afraid he was.

That had changed with Tsubaki. She'd been sweet and honest and genuine. She didn't pretend to like him, she truly did. She didn't make fun of him for claiming he was going to surpass God, she believed him; pledged herself to help him achieve his dream. She took away the loneliness that Kid's absence had left, the same way that he took hers. They were a perfect pairing, her softness to his brashness, her cool logic to his straight-forward enthusiasm, her quietly shy nature to his proud protectiveness.

It was Tsubaki that made his smiles real, who allowed his masks to fall away. Tsubaki who'd never minded when he spoke endlessly about a certain death god, who didn't mind standing back and smiling when Kid was around and BlackStar practically attached himself to the shinigami's side. Tsubaki who had taught him how to dance just so he could see Kid's flabbergasted expression that he could. Tsubaki who had shared her hopes and dreams with him, of finding her brother, talking to him, bringing him home. Tsubaki who had never wanted to be the heir of her family's talents and abilities, who wanted nothing more than to help people, who hated hurting others. She'd wanted to be a healer or teacher, never certain enough in herself to come to a final decision about it and always changing her mind from one asking to the next.

And now she was _dead._ His Tsubaki, who'd smiled as his unchecked soul wavelength tore through her slender frame, whose warm body had dissolved in his arms despite his pleas, his desperate hold. His Tsubaki who'd finally spoken to her brother but was unable to convince him, whose gentle spirit had been crushed under the weight of evil that had consumed her brother. His Tsubaki, his sister, who he'd loved more than anybody save one. _His_ Tsubaki, who had been forced to murder innocents, who'd thanked him for _killing_ her!

BlackStar didn't even realize the tears were coursing down his face until Kid pulled him into an implacable embrace, "You're _not_ alone, Star. I swear it, I'm not leaving you ever again."

The words sounded nice, and he wanted more than anything to believe them, but they had a hollow ring. If he wasn't executed outright, if he wasn't expelled... Kid would still have his responsibilities, his own partners, his own missions; and BlackStar would be left alone again, because no one wanted him. No weapon was going to trust a Meister who'd devoured the soul of his own partner, and no Meister was going to partner with a freak like him who'd once been one of their own. BlackStar might as well be a witch, the ostracism would be nearly the same.

The sound that ripped from his throat was less sob than it was choked-off, hysterical laughter. Kid had never lied before, not intentionally, but there was no way he could ever keep this new promise of his. Though if nothing else, it drove home just how alone Tsubaki had been as well; she'd had the same plastic masks as BlackStar had, only ever calming down enough to be herself around him, and possibly Maka. BlackStar was the only one who knew Tsubaki inside and out. He owed her so much: _he owed it to speak for her_.

"Sure thing, Kid. I'd... Like to be alone for a while. I have a speech to think about, don't I?"

The arms around him loosened, but didn't leave, "Already trying to test me? I'm not going anywhere- Don't argue -I had Liz and Patty bring my books, I can keep up with class from right here. I'm not leaving you, but if you insist, I _will_ sit quietly in the corner and work on my books so you can think in peace."

BlackStar couldn't help the smile, small though it was and nothing like his old ones, and nodded, "Yeah, alright." _Thank you, Kid._

777


	8. Chapter 8

**For those that aren't aware, by beloved beta (Zo) and I have a joint account on here, and at present we have a Super-Drabble response (that's on-going, about all our favorite Soul Eater characters) on said account (dualinsanities222, which can be reached through my Favorite Authors' page) and I beg you to check it out. It has multiple pairings (so far including) KidStar and SoMa. Please check it out and let us know what you think (and maybe find a new pairing you'll adore)!**

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888

Eventually, BlackStar got tired of laying in the bed and insisted on being let up so he could at the very least go through his stretches if not his katas. Kid -grudgingly, it should be noted- 'allowed' him to, but not without insisting he help the younger teen get up. BlackStar frowned when his feet hit the floor alot sooner than he expected them to. _Huh, short bed?_

Golden eyes blinked, confronted with roguish blue spikes, "Is it just me, or are you taller?"

Feeling his heartbeat kick up, BlackStar nonetheless shook his head, "Taller how?"

"Taller as in I used have well over a foot and a half on you, and now I could rest my chin on your head without so much as leaning down."

They went over to the mirror and BlackStar scoured it thoroughly. Sure enough, his shirt was riding alot higher on him than it ever had before, and for some reason Kid was staring at him slack-jawed. Fan_tastic_, _just _great. Not only was he some sort of Meister-Weapon mutant, but he was now some sort of beanstalk freak. As if he hadn't had enough catastrophic changes to his life in the last week. As if he hadn't already had _more_ than enough reasons to be shunned. As if Stein wasn't already itching to vivisect him. As if-

"Yoo-hoo, Kid." And on top of it all, he'd apparently short-circuited his best friend. "Kid!" he turned and shook the death god, "Hey, symmetry-man, wake up!"

He gave up with a huff, tangling one of his hands in his blue spikes and focusing on breathing. Dammit, it was bad enough that _he_ was freaking out about this, they couldn't _both_ lose it at the same time! One of them had to be the anchor while the other lost it, and if anyone deserved to be the one having a mental breakdown at the moment, it was _him_!

"Aggravating, insufferable, asymmetrical, bastard shinigami fucker." His hand tightened as tears of frustration pricked at his eyes. _Dammit! I've been nothing but waterworks and I'm sick of it! Stop it! Just stop!_

Gentle hands touched his shoulders, "Star?"

He shrugged off the touch, "I'm fine. Just- leave me alone for abit. I'm going to work out." his tone of voice and holding-it-together-through-sheer-determination look _dared_ the young god to argue the point.

Kid nodded, "Okay, I'm going to get us some lunch; alright?"

"Yeah, sounds good."

BlackStar slowly counted to ten after Kid left, then went to the door, _knowing_ that Kid wouldn't have really left him alone. Luck was on his side, though, and the bodyguard on the other side was exactly the one he'd been hoping for, "Hi, BlackStar!"

"Hey, Patty, can you keep a secret from Kid and your sister?"

She nodded, "Sure can!"

"And could you do me a favor?"

"Yup!"

"Can you bring me a good, sharp pair of scissors -without telling Kid or Liz- and the bag of clothes from my room?" she tilted her head thoughtfully, and he immediately knew what the issue was, "I promise to stay here, but if you could please hurry up before Kid gets back..."

"Alright. Just... don't go anywhere, or Liz will be really mad at me."

He nodded and waited as she left, leaning against the doorframe. It didn't take the little -well, that was a strange thought given they'd used to be nearly the same height...- blonde long to come back, holding out the bag in one hand, and a pair of silver kitchen shears in the other. BlackStar thanked her for both and retreated into the room, hiding them in the bathroom.

After making sure Kid wouldn't happen across the bundle by accident, he started his work out. How long until Tsubaki's funeral? What were they considering the weekend, _precisely_? Sunday? Saturday? Or as early as Friday: _tomorrow?_ It wasn't like Kid to fail in pinpointing specifics, especially such important specifics. Not that he'd put it past Kid to leave out anything potentially upsetting; and Kid knew him well enough to know exactly how far he could be pushed before he either broke or pushed back.

Kid returned just as BlackStar finished his push-ups, getting used to the changes in his body, "When is it happening?"

The white-striped raven placed the trays on the table he'd previously been using for his school work, "Day after tomorrow."

He was quiet as they worked their way through the mountains of food, his appetite returning with a vengeance. But the silence became oppressing once Patty volunteered to take their trays back to the cafeteria, "I need a few things from home. Incense, a tablet..."

Kid looked up at him in shock, blinking at him, "_You're_ going to make the marker?!"

BlackStar stared calmly, refusing to look away, "I'm part of House Shinigami, am I not? I have the training. Furthermore, I have the right, the obligation, to make it myself. What would you do if it were Liz or Patty?"

Kid gave in with a sigh and nodded, "I'll inform Father, and I'll bring the materials."

888


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello, by lovies! A quick word from your author. Here's our new chapter, and a special thanks goes out to QueenOfDarkHearts for her suggestion on Maka's behavior: it really helped inspire me (yes, my wonderful readers: YOU help keep this story alive and thriving and without you it's doomed to petering out and fading away!). I love all of my readers, adore my reviewers, and put my serial reviewers up on a pedestal for worship; please keep the ideas and opinions coming (for some glorious reason, this pairing seems to inspire longer, more thoughtful reviews than the one-to-two word responses for SoMa fans: I'm so proud of you all because it really helps push the story along!)!**

**P.S. This is officially (even without the AN) the longest chapter to date for this fic, and I hope to keep it going (ideas, inspiration [hint, hint] and fangirlingness allowing) into the future. Without further ado: Enjoy! (Also, tell me what you think about the ending, and what you think happens!)**

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999

Kid sat back, worry etched in every line of his body, as BlackStar ignored the world for the sole purpose of crafting the special memorial only those of the Death family could. Kid remembered the day they'd both been sat down and had this explained to them: neither of them had much cared for it then; Kid for the blantant lack of symmetry, and Star for the still patience and quiet dedication the craft required.

So it was with silent awe that the young death god watched his friend lit by the dim, cloudy light bleeding through the window as he worked with sure motions on the darker-than-black stone. The hands didn't falter even once as they, by memory alone, scored the deceased's family members and history; Tsubaki's every accomplishment gaining a unique character among the growing columns of pictographs.

Obsidian-smooth originally, the stele that would rest in the Shibusen graveyard took shape. BlackStar had started almost as soon as he'd gotten up that morning at dawn, after a small and hasty breakfast; and had yet to quit though it was -Kid checked- a little past noon already. Careful not to startle him and ruin the precious carving, Kid called out to him, "Star, it's time to take a break. It won't do Tsubaki any good if you mess up because you neglected to take care of yourself. Come have lunch with me." BlackStar set down his tools with great and obvious reluctance, but it didn't escape Kid's notice how his hands shook and his fingers twitched from cramping. He sighed and made his way over, taking one of the injured hands in his own and massaging the contracting fingers, "When was the last time you practiced carving for any length of time?"

The green-eyed boy shrugged, "...Last festival. Ts- _She_ asked me to carve the signs for the stalls since I knew the kanji. I was the only that could at the time, you were away for a while then."

"I remember that. Liz and Patty were mezmorized when we came back in the middle of a full festival. How long did you work on them?"

A small smirk made the shinigami's heart lift, "Three days straight. I couldn't lift so much as a pen for a week afterwards."

Kid smiled at the reminicent look on Star's face, the moment interupted by a knock at the door. He turned towards it, never releasing the shaking hand in his grasp, "Come in!" Expecting Liz or Patty, they were surprised at the head of white hair that peeked in, "Soul!"

Even Soul's usual 'cool' attitude was subdued, "Hey."

"Hey. How did your mission go?"

Soul sighed, "It was a complete bust. We were only just starting to get somewhere when we were recalled. They had to bring in the local Death Scythe to handle it while we were put on the first plane back."

BlackStar looked up, frowning, "Recalled?"

Kid answered, "We're a school, and a student died. I wouldn't be surprised if Father recalled every student and put the Death Scythes on patrol." At the others' looks, he shrugged, "Father's version of Marshal Law. All the parents are going to be calling in, upset and worried, even though there's really nothing they can do. All the students are, for the sake of law, emancipated and fully disclosed about the dangers of this profession. They won't be able to sue or pull their children out, but I bet Father will keep everyone close to home for the time being, until things settle down a bit and everyone has a chance to grieve. Tsubaki was well-liked."

Soul nodded, watching BlackStar, "Star." green eyes switched from the blanket in his lap to the waiting weapon, "Sorry for your loss. I know what you're going through, and I'm here if you need me."

Kid finally addressed the conspicuous absince in the room, "Where is she?"

"In her room."

"How's she holding up?"

Soul gave a dispairing sigh, "Honestly? Not at all. I've never seen Maka like this before. She's asleep right now -I wouldn't have left her if she were awake- I think all the crying tired her out. What about yours?"

Unnoticed by the two standing, BlackStar tensed. God, how stupid could he be? Here Kid was, trying to comfort _him_, when his _own _partners probably needed him. How could that have so completely escaped him? He was hogging Kid all to himself when Patty and Liz needed him just as much. Did he even _know_ how his weapons were holding up? Had he seen them other than to use them as maids to bring food?

_Stupid, stupid, stupid-_

They didn't get to speak for a minute because the Thompsons chose just that moment to actually come in with lunch, glancing around at the rising awkward tension and setting the trays on the table, taking seats to watch, "Don't mind us."

Kid motioned to them, "Here, you can ask them yourself. Liz, Patty: how well are you two doing?"

Liz shrugged, "We had a good cry, we're ready for the funeral tomorrow, and we're fine."

Soul blinked at them, his fingers curling into fists, "You're 'fine'? One of our friends _died_ and you're _fine_?"

Dispite her place sitting at the table, Liz managed to give the impression of looking down her nose at the other weapon, "Yes, Soul: we're _fine_. Patty and I grew up on the streets, and the first rule you learn is that people die. You accept it and move on."

Kid blinked and saw Soul leaned down with Liz half-hauled from her seat, the elder Thompson's hand out to stop a concerned Patty from coming to her rescue, "'Accept it and move on'?"

Liz didn't flinch, didn't even blink, "_Yes_. You can't afford to think with your heart when you live on the street, Soul; it's a death sentence. You learn quickly to make attachments only seldomly, and you learn harshly that when severed you better be able to cauterize that wound before it bleeds you to death and takes _you_, too. I liked Tsubaki, she was a good friend, and I'm going to miss her; but I'm not going to let her death cripple me. We have no time to waste on the dead -no _right_- when the living still need us."

Crimson and stormy grey-blue clashed, and Soul finally set her back down, turning away with a scoff; though everyone in the room could see the words had an effect on him, "I'm going to check on Maka again. Later."

* * *

Maka was as small as she could make herself on her bed, knees to her chest and her arms wrapped around them so tightly she was developing bruises. She was out of tears at the moment, staring unseeingly across the room, two halves of herself locked in a desperate battle within.

BlackStar was her _friend_, one of the only ones flat-chested, book-worm Maka had. There had always been a bit of tension and rivalry between them because of her serious and studious nature and his spontineity and care-free attitude, but they'd still been close; like cousins -or as Soul and Tsubaki had often remarked, bickering siblings. And she knew how close Tsubaki and BlackStar had been: they'd been inseperable, closer than some twins. She knew how much it must hurt BlackStar to lose her, Maka knew how much it had hurt when her parents' marriage broke up; she should go offer her regards, share their loss together: that's what friends did.

But there was an unpleasant, disconcertingly large, part of her that wouldn't let her. Because no matter what, it was _BlackStar_ that was the reason Tsubaki wasn't there anymore. That part of her whispered that he deserved all the pain he felt and more for taking her first female friend from her, for _killing_ Tsubaki. BlackStar hadn't just failed to protect her: he'd killed her! With his own two hands! How did it feel for him, to unleash his soul wavelength intentionally at his partner, to feel the devistating power rip through her?

Her fingers tightened, digging painfulling into her upper arms.

And to compound his sin, BlackStar had _devoured_ her. He'd not just done what no Meister had the right to in eating a soul, he'd eaten his Weapon! His own partner! What had he possibly been thinking with such actions? To preserve some small part of his beloved friend... or for more sinister purposes? She'd seen BlackStar in his sheer determination: he'd previously said that getting more powerful was all that mattered, that he'd do _anything_ to win. And in that case, was it premeditated, or had he merely seized the opprotunity when it was presented to him?

She'd sighed and complained about BlackStar's pranks and rule-breaking, but she'd ultimately put up with it -exasperated or not- because they were frineds and it was esentially harmless. But this was more than just a broken _rule_, BlackStar hadn't cheated on a test or botched a pair-mission, he'd shattered one of the very tennents that they all _lived_ by. He'd broken something held more sacred than _laws_, something that no DWMA student had broken in all the years the school had existed. Something that had only been broken by the Kishin in his mad reach for power...

Maka hadn't cared -at first hadn't even known, and still hadn't cared when she found out- about BlackStar's clan. They had strayed, and they'd paid for their sins with their lives. She'd never judged him for those things he'd never had control of like some of the other students had -did- but now she was wondering if the others had been able to see something she'd blinded herself to.

But then the other, forgiving side reared its head again and scolded -loudly- that BlackStar had _always_ cared more for his friends, had _always_ made the right choice when he'd had to. He hadn't killed Mifune and the Witch Angela, even though no one would have so much as censured him for it; he'd walked away because, in his mind, it was the honorable thing, the _right_ thing to do. _That_ BlackStar would never have done something like this... right?

Maka curled further. She just didn't know what to think anymore! She didn't know who to blame, or if there _was_ anyone to blame, and the one person she could have talked about it with was gone! She missed her friend. Badly.

She sniffled as she felt Soul climb on the bed with her and pull her back against his chest, "Hey, Tiny. Don't think too hard, alright? And don't let your head-bound nature cost you a second friend, 'kay?"

Maka wasn't quite sure what he meant, but she nodded anyway, sinking into his embrace and taking comfort in her partner.

* * *

BlackStar's fingers tightened around the sink as he locked eyes with his reflection in the mirror. _This is the face of the person who killed his best freind._ He bent double as his stomach clenched and it was all he could do to to keep from heaving. _Tsubaki!_ The whisper glided across his mind like a poisonous shadow: _Murderer._

BlackStar's jaw ached from the pressure he put on it to lock the pained sounds behind his teeth. _I'm so sorry. I'll fix it, I swear._

He checked the room one more time, seeing Kid passed out in the large chair and knowing the death god was as good as comatose once he was out. He closed the bathroom door behind him, locking it, and picked up the scissors. _Time to stop being so childish and grow up._

999


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note: For those who've wanted to ask but haven't and in honor of the two that have: My update schedule for both my Soul Eater fics is every Friday, sometime between two and six Eastern Standard Time. I will warn you when I'm running out of inspiration. (You, my Beloved DeathStar readers, have already experienced this once before.)**

**Asking for updates, while kind of flattering, is not likely to actually net you them. Better way to get the updates you want: **_**Give me ideas for them!**_** ANYTHING is accepted: funny, serious, romantic. Crack- that right there's a dream sequence, maybe the character got drugged and hallucinated, maybe they have an epiphany about their life from it. Contribute to keeping the fic going! (I am **_**highly**_** disappointed more of you didn't answer my Author Questions at the end of last chapter.) Also be CERTAIN to tell me about how I do in action scenes: I have big plans for the end of this fic and I need to practice and know what I'm doing well and badly on.**

**If you're too embarassed (which you never should be) to reveiw where others can see, I'm open to PMs, I ALWAYS want to hear from my readers. Just title it something like 'Private Review to...' **

**Thank you for your time.**

**Extended note: We're finally at the long-awaited Tsubaki-funeral chapter! PLEASE tell me how I did on BlackStar's characterization in here and what you think of the speech; you have no idea how long I worked to make it both meaningful, and BlackStar-esque.**

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101010

Kid knocked on the door to BlackStar's room, clothed in his full shinigami attire, the mask off for the moment, "Star?" He'd been nervous when BlackStar had told him to take the completed tribute to their father and had then gotten ready from behind the bathroom door. It was foolish: BlackStar was the one that had to go out there and give the eulogy in front of everyone, and here Kid was the one with anxity threaded through his system and his heart threatening to jump from his chest.

The door opened and the shinigami lost the abilty for speech. For a moment, he lost the ability for coherent thought all together. BlackStar was wearing a sleeveless white top with four silver buckles on the front, his arms completely wrapped up, and a white scarf around his neck and the lower half of his face. Kid forced his mouth to work, hoping his brain would catch up, "Blue?" he asked, referring to BlackStar's pants.

"Pastel. She liked pastels."

The reason they were both standing there brought back to the forefront of his mind kick-started Kid's thought process again, only for it to derail when he looked up, "Star, _what _did you do to your hair?!"

BlackStar ran a hand through the shorter locks, "Cut it. I left the scissors on the sink if you want to get them later."

"...Do I need to get them later?"

BlackStar pushed past him, "Let's get going."

"It's raining outside. You should take an umbrella."

The blue haired weapon gave a scoff-like huff, "Bring on the rain."

Kid donned his mask as to perform the services just before they stepped out (and it was just as Kid said: rain quietly falling, and mist covering the grounds in a white fog; BlackStar looked like a lost soul as he emerged from it, the figure of Death next to him not helping diminish the effect). They had to separate outside, Kid going to stand beside Tsubaki's newly-hewn, glossy, pitch-black tomb stone and softly give the rites. Those in attendence, what must have been a thrid of the whole school, started to line up in morbid black rows, and BlackStar stood out like a sore thumb as he made his way through them all, horrified and disgusted words following him when it quickly became apparent that he was the only one with the 'disrespect' and the 'bad taste' to wear white to a funeral.

His face darkened, _Morons._ It didn't escape his notice that Maka was avoiding him, either, hiding behind Soul and using him as shield so that their green eyes never so much as made contact. BlackStar thought he should probably feel more than the hollow, throbbing _nothing _inside of him. The flowery words were going through his mind like he'd practiced; a memeorial to his best freind that was supposed to honor her, supposed to be able to resonate with everyone in this crowd just like how Tsubaki herself always had.

_Except she hadn't_. Tsubaki had always been hiding, had spoken to other meisters both before and after partnering with him, and had never once been able to resonate with any of them. Suddenly BlackStar was no longer sad, no longer numb: he was _angry_. All these fools were speaking about him, whispering about him, commenting on how _he_ was disrespecting Tsubaki's memory by wearing what he was.

They didn't know that tsubaki hated the color black, that all soft pastels were her favorite, they didn't know that a huge memorial with weeping and crying was the last thing Tsubaki would ever want. Tsubaki would want something calm and quiet and intimate, just between her best friends, something where they laughed instead of cried; where they remembered all the good times and all the happy memeories that she'd helped make and been part of. They didn't know. _They didn't know __**Tsubaki**_. His hands fisted. _Bastards._

And as BlackStar reached the podium and stood before the crowd, seething, he glared out over them and _dared_ them to mutter some more, to so much as _think_ about him when they were all supposed to be here for _Tsubaki_. His flowery speech died a swift and violent death.

"I was supposed to stand up here and give you some stupid speech about how we're not alone here, and Tsubaki meant as much to each of us here. But that's not really true, and I'm not going to lie to you just to sooth your guilty conscious, because not a single fucking one of you really knew Tsubaki." he ignored their mutters, taking heart from the hidden smirk he just _knew_ Kid was giving him, "If you didn't know Tsubaki's favorite drink on a cold day was coffee with chocolate syrup and marshmellows, then you didn't know Tsubaki. If you didn't know that she wanted to be a healer even though she got queazy at the sight of any blood but her own, then you didn't know Tsubaki. If you didn't know that she could handle spiders and beatles and bugs, but got creeped out and screamed at the sight of a walking stick, then you didn't know Tsubaki.

"So you see, not one of you knew who Tsubaki really was, and you're all idiots because of that, because there has never been a person more worth knowing. There's never been a kinder girl who would help you out without being asked even if you'd bullied her, that would sit by and tutor you for hours even if it meant her own work going undone, that would give you her own luch when you forgot yours even if it meant she'd go hungry.

"Tsubaki wasn't a big star: she was a cornerstone to every life she touched. She didn't have sparkle and flash, and she couldn't stand out in a crowd of two to save her soul; but then, she didn't have to. She was always there when you needed her, when you didn't even know that you did, and she had the ability to soothe away even the worst fears with gentle hands and a soft voice. Our lives will go on, no less brightly or colorful without her in them; but there will always be something missing; and if you don't know that, on some deep level beyond standing here in the stupid rain for a girl you can't quite remember, then you didn't know Tsubaki... and I pity you for that."

There was more muttering that he ignored as he left, the crowd parting for him as though afraid to touch him. That was fine: he was completely through with all of them anyway, making his way towards the stand of trees and the other waiting group, dressed in black suits that they looked unnatural in. BlackStar took a deep breath as a single figure stood out to him.

Sanjuro Nakatsukasa. If facing the students was something BlackStar would have avoided if he could, this meeting was exponentially more so. He wanted to run away and hide. _Courage, Star._

Swallowing his pride, he bowed to the turned back of the Japanese man, "Sanjuro-sama."

The face that turned to him was weathered in sorrow, but there was an inherent strength and compassion that made BlackStar's stomach clench. That was always a look he'd asociated with _her_... now he knew where she'd gotten it from. Sanjuro took in his submissive posture, his hunched shoulders and clenched fists, and then in an utterly _Tsubaki_ display, he smiled, "You must be my daughter's much-talked-about partner: BlackStar."

He glanced up at the man, "I- Yeah." he straightened up and looked away, "Sanjuro-sama-"

"None of that, BlackStar-kun. You were my daughter's precious partner and first true friend. Please, just Sanjuro is fine."

"No, it's not. I..." dammit, this was harder than he'd even thought it was going to be; and he hadn't thought it'd be a walk in the park to begin with! He couldn't even force the words out of his throat.

Sanjuro's expression softened, "Tsubaki told me so much about you."

"Sh-she did?"

"Hai, we exchanged letters often. There wasn't a one where your name failed to come up. You were a constant source of courage and confidance for her, and I thank you for that."

"It-it was nothing. Ts-she was..." Kind, gentle, patient. _Say it! It's just a name; say it!_ "Tsubaki was my best friend, she was more than that to me; she was my partner."

Sanjuro smiled sadly, "She told me about how you were always trying to get stronger; constantly looking for ways to push yourself further. She said it was why she had to get stronger, too. I have to ask, why would one as young as you seek so much power?"

BlackStar flinched as if he'd been struck. The man might as well have just by-passed these word games BlackStar despised and asked what he was really thinking: _What was the ambition my daughter died for?_ He _wanted_ to be angry, to be furious at the implied accusation in the question; except he couldn't, because it wasn't an accusatory tone, and it was Tsubaki's kind eyes looking back at him.

"You know, she asked me that same thing, once, before pledging her metal to mine."

_"BlackStar?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"I was wondering... Well, I know you want to surpass God, but... why?"_

"Did she?"

"And I'll tell you the same thing I told her."

_"There's someone I want- no, someone I __**need**__ to protect, and surpassing god is the only way I'll ever be strong enough to keep them safe. So no matter what I have to do to get stronger, I will: I'll do anything to protect that person."_

"I see... Yes, that is something Tsubaki would have approved of."

_Now, tell him. _"Sanjuro, I failed to protect Tsubaki. It's my fault she died."

The man was visibly surprised, "BlackStar-kun... I know you and my daughter were close, but is _not_ your fault she died. The blame for that, I'm afraid, falls solely on my failings as a father to Masamune which allowed him to stray from the true path. You were there for her, and you did as she would have wished. You have single-handedly salvaged the honor of two Nakatsukasa heirs, and I thank you for it. Whatever failures you feel yourself accountable for concerning my children, know that I forgive them."

BlackStar was both touched and incredulous at the blanket forgiveness he recieved from the Nakatsukasa patriarch. He didn't believe he deserved it, but the man in front of him had just lost both of his children and he wasn't about to argue with him at their funeral. He bowed deeply, receiving a shallower one in return, and walked away.

* * *

Maka watched as the Blue-haired boy approached, her throat tight enough it threatened to choke her. This wasn't the BlackStar she knew: the annoyingly enthusiastic boy who looked to surpass god, and let everyone in the vicinity know it. This taller, subdued young man was a stranger to her. He didn't look like a Kishin, he didn't look evil: he looked _broken_.

She felt another round of tears mist her eyes and shook her head, hands tightening on her umbrella as she fought them back while he got closer. When he was less than a foot away, she opened her mouth to try and force the words out.

Without ever looking at her, barely even pausing in his step, BlackStar stopped her, "Don't. She wouldn't want you to lie."

Maka fell to her knees on the wet ground and didn't try to hold back the tears anymore, feeling a tearing in her heart and wondering if she just lost not one, but _two_ friends. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly and rocked back and forth, not even stiffling her sobs. _I'm sorry, BlackStar. Tsubaki would never blame you. I'm sorry!_

Another pair of arms surrounded her and Maka turned her face into the warmth she knew better than any other, crying in Soul's arms, for both of her lost friends.

101010


End file.
